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Every single human on the planet will need to speed up skin cell turnover with exfoliation after the age of about 28. Done. It is a fact. If you are not exfoliating then you are probably wondering where your luster went, why you are broken out, and why your skin tone is so darn patchy. It’s ok. Never too late to start. There are many many ways to exfoliate and demolish that dead flaky skin that is hindering your god given glow. Let us delve a little deeper into the utterly fascinating world of skin cell turnover:

Skin cell turnover is the sad little march of new skin cells to the top of the epidermis where they ultimately meet their demise and slough off. This march of doom can take anywhere from 14 days (in our infancy) to months and months (in old age). The typical span being about 30-40 days for us 30-50 something’s. The trick to luminous, tight and youthful looking skin is to decrease the time that new skin cells spend marching to their death and hanging out on our faces.

Microdermabrasion is great little way to get the blood flowing to the surface of the skin and get some fairly hard core exfoliation going for you. Ease your feet into the deep pool of anti-aging addictions by trying this little gem of a treatment first. I love microdermabrasion for any one that has healthy but dull skin or very light and superficial acne scarring. If you have redness, irritation, rosacea, broken capillaries, or a great disdain for following a treatment protocol of every 3-4 weeks for at least six treatments, then this is not a good option for you. Retin A users beware, while I don’t recommend microdermabrasion for you (remember that whole lipid barrier discussion on the sonic cleansing post), you must at least go off of your Retin A 3-4 days before a treatment.

Chemical peelsare for folks that want to amp up their beauty routine. Chemical peels, unlike microdermabrasion, can really be customized as far as the depth of the peel and ingredients used to address the concern (wrinkling, irregular color etc.). Superficial, medium depth and deep chemical peels are available with a variety of additives that sucker punch anything from melasma (pregnancy mask) to acne and those, near to the heart, fine lines and wrinkles. Please see this post on glycolic acid peels if you want a little more information on peeling.

Glycolic acid has the very desirable talent of “softening” fine lines (that is esthetician and nurse speak for: Don’t even think it’s going to eradicate ALL of those wrinkles). Sun damage and the faux mustache known as “melasma” is also nipped in the bud. This is done over a series of treatments, and I typically will recommend anywhere from 6-8 peels, spaced around 3-4 weeks apart with 40-60% glycolic acid. Chemical peeling of any type dissolves the desmosomes (sticky glue) that hold the skin cells together. These peels also strip lipids that make up the acid mantel that protects us from bacterial invasions and dry skin, so you must replace what you take away. Following a peel, a rich anti-inflammatory moisturizer should be part of your recovery with a healthy fat dollop of sunscreen. Stay off the actives that you have bought and use religiously because you are a very well-educated DermaDarling follower for 7-10 days (vitamin c, AHAs, retinol, and hydroquinone) . The peels range in price from $120- 250 each depending on your city. I would highly recommend getting a package of 6 to save some cash, since you know you are going to have to have more than one. Glycolic acid should be a considered addition to your bag of tricks for smooth gorgeous skin. Celebrities rumored to be fans of Glycolic acid: Cher, Janice Dickenson, Naomi Campbell.

You are not a candidate for a glycolic peel if:

You have sensitive skin

You want instant results

You want no social “downtime”

You want nothing less than a blooming miracle

You are standing in front of the counter at the nail salon asking about their LivingSocial glycolic acid discount

I will be teaching an advanced chemical peel course at the Elaine Sterling Institute the first week in November. For more information on how you can advance your esthetic career please call ESI at 1-877-233-5246

Even Megan Fox battles the skin gods. Salicylic acid peels should be in her arsenal.

Dubbed by cosmetic chemists on the well toured Chemists Corner blog as ” The most versatile [topical compound] for cosmetic formulators”, this feisty little acid is a gold standard for acne control with anti aging benefits. Salicylic Acid or Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) has been proven to stand up against Alpha Hydroxy Acids (glycolic, lactic, citric, and tartaric acids) when it comes to skin cell turnover and improving skin tone and texture. How does it work and who will it work for? BHA is oil soluble and penetrates that slick layer covering oily skin in order to get deep into the pores for exfoliation and to speed up skin cell turnover. For comparison, AHAs such as glycolic acid are water-soluble and better suited for dry, weathered, sun damaged skin that has been thickened with the elements and genetics. So, yes!, Salicylic Acid (BHA) exfoliates to not only reduce acne but over time helps to reverse photo damage and smooth pesky wrinkles as well.

Great salicylic Acid products and chemical peels to clear your skin and soften those lines: